of Halidzor his base of operations. With the support of the local peasants and the meliks, Davit managed to defend the Armenian-inhabited areas from the Muslim tribes. He also fought against those Armenian meliks who opposed the rebellion. Encouraged by his successes, many Armenians raised the banner of revolt against the Muslims and joined Davit's ranks. The meliks of Karabakh, who were waging their own battles against Muslim rulers, cooperated with Davit Bek, lending him men and materiel. In the spring of 1724, a force of 2,000 fighters from Karabakh commanded by Avan Yuzbashi and Ivan Karapet joined Davit Bek's forces in Kapan. Although initially Davit's main enemy were the Iranians, he soon came to the conclusion that it was the Ottoman Turks who posed a much greater danger. In 1724, the Ottomans invaded Iran and Eastern Armenia, capturing Tiflis, Yerevan and Hamadan, prompting the Armenians to ally with the Iranians against the Ottoman invaders. In the spring of 1727, Davit Bek won a spectacular victory over a larger Ottoman army at the Battle of Halidzor. The Armenian forces went on to drive the Turks out of Kapan and advanced south towards Meghri, capturing the Ottoman-controlled Meghri Fortress. In 1727, in order to put a halt to the Ottoman approach in the area, King Tahmasp II of Iran appointed Davit the governor of the area, and gave him the right to administer the area as a vassal Armenian principality under Iranian control. Davit Bek then campaigned against the Ottomans at Ordubad and Agulis. The circumstances of Davit Bek's death in 1728 are uncertain. Some scholars believe he died fighting the Turks, while others attribute his death to illness. After Davit Bek's death, command of the Armenian forces in Syunik passed to Mkhitar Sparapet. In popular culture Davit Bek inspired the historical novel David Bek (1882) by Raffi. In 1944, at the height of World War II, the movie David Bek was filmed by director Hamo Beknazarian with Hrachia Nersisyan starring as Davit Bek. The opera David Bek by Armen Tigranian premiered in 1950. In 1978 Armenfilm in association with Mosfilm produced another movie about the efforts of Davit Bek and his successor Mkhitar Sparapet called Huso astgh ("Star of Hope"), directed by Edmond Keosayan. Davit Bek was portrayed by Georgian actor Edisher Magalashvili. See also Battle of Halidzor References Sources Further reading 1728 deaths Armenian nationalists Armenian nobility Armenian revolutionaries